Microscopical Essays. 



5*9 



is a fmall lunular . tranfparent fpace c near the middle of the 

 body. This part is tranfparent, and is free from the coloured 

 matter of the interlines ; there is a neck in the interlines near 

 this fpace, which confines them to one part of the-body. 



•Great care mould be taken by the obferver not to burft. the 

 fkin of the eels in 'difen gaging them from the grain, for they 

 never break or burfl of themfelves ; but if broke, vifible interlines, 

 filled M a black matter, rufli out of the body, from which 

 little black globules are difengaged, which fwim flowly about the 

 "water, but without any principle of internal motion ; when the 

 obfervation is made, immediately after the grains proceed from 

 the eel; but if the eels that are broke are left long in the water, 

 the fame phenomena will take place, as in other animal and 

 -vegetable infufions. It is owing to not properly attending to 

 thefe .circurmlances, that we may attribute many of the fanciful 

 pofitions of M. Meedham, which were deduced from ill-conducied 

 experiments, and which, when properly examined, are found to 

 be in a great meaiure faife. 



M. RofFredi fowed fome of the grains of this wheat, which • 

 fprang up ; but the ear was either wholly or in a great part 

 fpoiled, being filled with thefe eels. He alfo found them in other 

 parts of the plant : to difengsge them from the plant, it mull be 

 •foaked in water, and then compreifed a little. At firii fight thefe 

 eels feem to refemble the foregoing, but a more accurate inflec- 

 tion fhewsthat they have not the fame curious difpofition of the 

 internal globules, nor the fame tranfparent place in the middle 

 of the body. The inteflinal bag leaves indeed in thefe an empty 

 fpace, but it is of an indetermined form. The animalcula from 



the 



